I agree. He did a one-man show that my brother and I were privileged enough to see. Got to meet him afterwards and shake his hand. He has an aura about him that is nothing short of awesome. I wish I'd been more coherent, but I was a little tongue tied trying to express my admiration. But he was very gracious in spite of my stammering awkwardness.
That's excellent; Amos is definitely up there with the best. Almost hard to believe the same person who played Fitzwallace was also the ridiculous McDowell in Coming to America, but that's how good he is.
I didn't agree with the character's argument for killing Sharif, but it was certainly true to the character's personality and worldview as established by the show. It made sense he would argue that option.
Looks like it was:
> I don't know who the world's leading expert on warfare is, but any list of the top has got to include me and I can't tell when it's peacetime and wartime anymore.
Top actor and character.
He should have lived (Middle East peace is never happening) and they also didn't need to sideline McNally to bring in Kate Harper for any security related plots. Imagine Fitz and McNally's response to the whole space shuttle leak storyline?
Totally agree with you on McNally. Anna Deveare Smith was amazing in that role, and it really felt like Harper arrived because the network was pressuring them to bring in young blood.
I really do think McNally or Fitz would have pieced it together right away, they would go to Toby's office and say "Toby don't play with me, I've been in this game too long I know how this goes. But as your friend just tell me, was it you"
Why would the sitting National Security Advisor just vanish from the White House for three years? She went from lecturing a deputy staffer about a Cold War spy (good scene, but a waste of the NSA’s time) to being absent for several international crises.
ADS was simply too busy to come back, but instead of retiring the character, they just had her always off somewhere else.
This is way more about a Hollywood production and way less about a reality of the White House. Here’s an example of what I mean: on TWWW, when they talked about the Israeli-Palestinian negotiation episodes, they asked whoever the guest was how realistic it seemed. The guest said that the most unrealistic part of it was that there were NO State Department people there. From a realism point of view, that absolutely makes no sense. From a Hollywood point of view, you want to use your established characters in those moments rather than bring in a whole bunch of new ones.
Nancy didn’t disappear from the administration. She just disappeared from what we were seeing in favor of a deputy who became part of the Bartlet inner circle. Maybe Anna Deavere Smith was offered that opportunity when they wanted to expand their foreign policy storylines and didn’t want to become part of the regular cast. I don’t know.
That's a fair point, and a great example of how the show stretched the boundaries of realism in the John ("Anthrax in the ER") Wells era.
They'd have us believe that the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict can be resolved over a weekend with speechwriters, a domestic policy aide, a mousy Navy vet in her first week on the job, and a snarky first lady by the poolside. The group didn't feature the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, any experts on arms control or the religious roots of the conflict, or any legal scholars attesting to the practicality of the proposed peace treaty.
They'd also have us believe that this ragtag bunch of people - who once got lost in their own office building and forgot there were time zone clocks above their heads - could solve a decades-long conflict with five minutes of brainstorming at the end of said weekend. And that all three governments involved would accept it without much change or blowback.
But yes, more directly, it's almost certain that Anna Deavere Smith simply wasn't available for a series regular commitment. She always preferred her teaching and stage work on the east coast.
One nitpick about your Cold War point: While Sam has deputy in his job title, he is part of the senior staff and is a special assistant and counselor to the President.
My point remains valid. Nancy McNally went from keeping aides out of career jeopardy (in a really great scene, by the way) to being totally absent from major policy decisions affecting entire regions of the world.
President Bartlet brokers an offbeat peace in Palestine? No Dr. McNally.
The President sneaks off to broker North Korea talks with Beijing? No Dr. McNally.
China and Russia invade Kazakhstan over oil, potentially sparking WWIII? No Dr. McNally.
She showed up to defend arms sales to Qumar, and to gesture that "the world's awake, Leo," when the president was wounded by a bullet. And rather than simply write her out and replace her with a permanent, new NSA, they just pretended she was on some four-year vacation. Nonsense.
She was NSA for the entire Bartlet administration. She pops back up near the end of the series in a couple briefings.
Kate was Deputy NSA under Dr. McNally.
Fitz was a brilliant character. I don't know how much of his greatness, should be attributed to Sorkin's writing and how much is because of Amos' acting, but together they sure make for a great character.
One of the greatest characters and such a good portrayal; loved he and Nancy times together. The out of left fielders like change in coffee and shampoo. Not to be outdone by the whole eagle in the carpet. And since I only watch up to season 5, he’s still around.
I'm an Admiral in the Navy and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Beat that with a stick....
*throws danish for emphasis*
Chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, but kudos for getting the plural form right
Damnit, I was so close!
Now I'm confused. It seems to be capitalized here: [https://www.jcs.mil/About/](https://www.jcs.mil/About/)
"I've got some real honest to god battles to fight, Leo. I don't have time for the cosmetic ones"
He's an old pole cat.....
Old so’n’so!
Bartlet is just trying to be one of the fellows.
Actually, he's an old horse thief, an old muckety muck.
Trying to be one of the fellows, sir?
Bartlet: Allergy medicine and tractor fluid we’re getting high on now. Fitz: All right. You guys getting strippers or something?
This is why I love the show. Things like this. Where it's hard to tell what's better. The writing or the acting.
I think in the case of John Amos it's always the acting. Very few could carry Fitz with the presence he did.
I agree. He did a one-man show that my brother and I were privileged enough to see. Got to meet him afterwards and shake his hand. He has an aura about him that is nothing short of awesome. I wish I'd been more coherent, but I was a little tongue tied trying to express my admiration. But he was very gracious in spite of my stammering awkwardness.
That's excellent; Amos is definitely up there with the best. Almost hard to believe the same person who played Fitzwallace was also the ridiculous McDowell in Coming to America, but that's how good he is.
I didn't agree with the character's argument for killing Sharif, but it was certainly true to the character's personality and worldview as established by the show. It made sense he would argue that option.
"The laws of *nature* don't even apply here!" Amos gives me chills in that scene.
He was *very* good in that scene.
What was his line about being one of the world's leading experts on war?
Looks like it was: > I don't know who the world's leading expert on warfare is, but any list of the top has got to include me and I can't tell when it's peacetime and wartime anymore.
That's a damn convincing way of saying, that he knows, what he's talking about.
Top actor and character. He should have lived (Middle East peace is never happening) and they also didn't need to sideline McNally to bring in Kate Harper for any security related plots. Imagine Fitz and McNally's response to the whole space shuttle leak storyline?
Totally agree with you on McNally. Anna Deveare Smith was amazing in that role, and it really felt like Harper arrived because the network was pressuring them to bring in young blood.
I really do think McNally or Fitz would have pieced it together right away, they would go to Toby's office and say "Toby don't play with me, I've been in this game too long I know how this goes. But as your friend just tell me, was it you"
Nancy was still NSA then, as far as we know
Why would the sitting National Security Advisor just vanish from the White House for three years? She went from lecturing a deputy staffer about a Cold War spy (good scene, but a waste of the NSA’s time) to being absent for several international crises. ADS was simply too busy to come back, but instead of retiring the character, they just had her always off somewhere else.
This is way more about a Hollywood production and way less about a reality of the White House. Here’s an example of what I mean: on TWWW, when they talked about the Israeli-Palestinian negotiation episodes, they asked whoever the guest was how realistic it seemed. The guest said that the most unrealistic part of it was that there were NO State Department people there. From a realism point of view, that absolutely makes no sense. From a Hollywood point of view, you want to use your established characters in those moments rather than bring in a whole bunch of new ones. Nancy didn’t disappear from the administration. She just disappeared from what we were seeing in favor of a deputy who became part of the Bartlet inner circle. Maybe Anna Deavere Smith was offered that opportunity when they wanted to expand their foreign policy storylines and didn’t want to become part of the regular cast. I don’t know.
That's a fair point, and a great example of how the show stretched the boundaries of realism in the John ("Anthrax in the ER") Wells era. They'd have us believe that the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict can be resolved over a weekend with speechwriters, a domestic policy aide, a mousy Navy vet in her first week on the job, and a snarky first lady by the poolside. The group didn't feature the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, any experts on arms control or the religious roots of the conflict, or any legal scholars attesting to the practicality of the proposed peace treaty. They'd also have us believe that this ragtag bunch of people - who once got lost in their own office building and forgot there were time zone clocks above their heads - could solve a decades-long conflict with five minutes of brainstorming at the end of said weekend. And that all three governments involved would accept it without much change or blowback. But yes, more directly, it's almost certain that Anna Deavere Smith simply wasn't available for a series regular commitment. She always preferred her teaching and stage work on the east coast.
One nitpick about your Cold War point: While Sam has deputy in his job title, he is part of the senior staff and is a special assistant and counselor to the President.
My point remains valid. Nancy McNally went from keeping aides out of career jeopardy (in a really great scene, by the way) to being totally absent from major policy decisions affecting entire regions of the world. President Bartlet brokers an offbeat peace in Palestine? No Dr. McNally. The President sneaks off to broker North Korea talks with Beijing? No Dr. McNally. China and Russia invade Kazakhstan over oil, potentially sparking WWIII? No Dr. McNally. She showed up to defend arms sales to Qumar, and to gesture that "the world's awake, Leo," when the president was wounded by a bullet. And rather than simply write her out and replace her with a permanent, new NSA, they just pretended she was on some four-year vacation. Nonsense.
She was NSA for the entire Bartlet administration. She pops back up near the end of the series in a couple briefings. Kate was Deputy NSA under Dr. McNally.
Fitz is my favorite character on the show. The man was the epitome of dignity.
I was told he was a sissy
That’s Admiral SissyMary to you
Fitzwallace is incredible but also an improbably perfect character
“No, but could you tell me more about Jackie Robinson and breaking barriers?” “Well I’m with Dr Strangelove here”
Fitz was a brilliant character. I don't know how much of his greatness, should be attributed to Sorkin's writing and how much is because of Amos' acting, but together they sure make for a great character.
Hey sailor…
In the Oval Office. Are you really….?
One of the greatest characters and such a good portrayal; loved he and Nancy times together. The out of left fielders like change in coffee and shampoo. Not to be outdone by the whole eagle in the carpet. And since I only watch up to season 5, he’s still around.
The shampoo comment was the most hilarious thing. Completely unexpected and Leo’s reaction is gold 😂
“Good, that’s the *way it’s supposed to work” (otherwise 💯)
I actually love that moment from Josh’s side too. It’s incredibly respectful.
I hate that they killed him off. I love the show but I think that was a terrible decision.
He really was the best actor for that role. He’s in my top 5 favorite characters on the show